The Rose and the Cherry Tree
by Morgan-Kaze-Tsukai
Summary: Megumi and Shuichi have been best friends for just about as long as the two of them can remember. They know EVERYTHING about each other. At least, Megumi thought they did. What will happen when she finds out what Shuichi's been hiding all these years? KuramaxOC
1. Unexpected Visitor

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Helloooo people. So, technically, this is my second YYH fic. But I'm only counting it as my first, because the other one was basically awful. Anyway, the point in the series that this is at is the very beginning. Like, before anything. Alright. That's basically all I had to say, soooo... enjoy, I guess.**

_It was a typical spring day. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and children were running around the park, screaming happily. It was absolutely picture perfect. _

_ One little girl, with her light brown hair being blown in her_ face_ by the gentle breeze, smiled as she arrived at the park. _

_ "Have fun, angel," Her mother encouraged her to go forward with a light push on the back._

_ The more she studied the playground, the more the child became unsure of her decision to come here. Everywhere she looked, people were playing with their friends. She had come alone._

_ Determined not to let it get to her, she skipped up to the playground. She went down the slide and swung for a bit before she realized how lonely it was to play alone. _

_ No longer smiling as before, she began the trudge back to her mother, set to go home. However, before she could get there, a rose was thrust in her face._

_ "What… what's this?" She asked, taking the flower and turning it in her tiny hands, examining every inch of it. She looked up to find a boy who looked her age, if not, a few years older._

_ "It's a present," He explained. "You looked sad, so I got you a flower."_

_ A large smile- as well as a slight redness- found its way to her face. "Thanks. What's your name?"_

_ "Shuuichi," He said, returning her warm smile. "What's yours?"_

_ "I'm Megumi, but if you want, you can call me Meg," The little girl introduced. "Do you wanna be my friend?"_

_ Shuuichi nodded excitedly. "Yeah!"_

_ "I'm about to go home," Megumi explained, "but do you want to come play at my house with me?"_

_ The boy nodded again. "I have to ask my mommy first, I'll be right back."_

_ Megumi skipped over to her mom while Shuuichi went to find his. "Mommy, I made a friend!" She said happily. "He's gonna come play at our house!"_

_ Her mom smiled down at her. "I'm glad to hear it," She said, crouching down to give her a quick squeeze. _

_ When Shuuichi came back over, he was dragging a woman behind him. _

_ "Shiori," The woman said, extending the hand that wasn't being clung to by the tiny red-headed boy._

_ "Arisa," Megumi's mother returned, shaking Shiori's hand_

_ "Would_ _it be alright if we came over for a bit so Shuuichi and Megumi can play?"_

_ "Of course," Arisa smiled. "Our house is just this way…"_

_ After a quick walk to Megumi's house, she and Shuuichi stood in the back yard, trying to decide what to do._

_ "Do you wanna see who can climb to the middle of that big tree the fastest?" Megumi suggested, desperate for ideas. _

_ Shuuichi shrugged, and the two walked over to the big cherry tree beside Megumi's window and began to climb._

_ In the end, the two made it at about the same time, and sat on the wide branch, exhausted._

_ "You're fast, Megumi," Shuuichi complimented._

_ "Thank you, but why don't you call me Meg? Everybody else does," The green-eyed girl inquired._

_ "Because everybody else does," Shuuichi explained. "I don't wanna be like everybody else."_

_ Aside from their heavy breathing, nothing could be heard as the two sat in the big cherry tree._

_ "Shuuichi?" Megumi asked suddenly._

_ "Hm?" He responded, clearly being broken from his train of thought._

_ "Let's be best friends forever, okay?" Shyness suddenly overcame the four year old._

_ Shuuichi smiled brightly, and repeated, "Yeah. Best friends forever."_

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I groaned and slammed the 'off' button on my alarm before stretching and letting out an enormous yawn.

_That dream again, _I thought as I rolled lazily out of bed and grabbed my school uniform. _The one about the day I met Shuuichi_.

After another hour of my tedious daily routine, I grabbed my bag and walked out the door, to find Shuuchi waiting for me, as usual.

He shook his head at me, his long red hair bouncing as he did so. "One of these days, you're going to make us late, Megumi," He scolded me playfully.

I punched his arm lightly. "Shut it, Minamino. At least I don't spend my entire morning on my hair."

Shuuichi rolled his emerald eyes, but smiled at me nonetheless. "You really are something."

I smirked. "Thank you."

As usual, we showed up to our classes just moments before the bell rang. The two of us were definitely pushing our luck with how late we always arrived. School was insanely boring, though. The only times we got to see each other were between classes and at lunch, as Shuuichi was a year ahead of me.

"Hey, Megumi," I was broken from my thoughts as someone whispered my name. I turned to see one of the 'popular girls' of our school staring intently at me.

When all I offered in return was an irritated stare, she continued. "Are you dating that Minamino guy?"

I snorted. "Shuuichi? He's my best friend."

The girl nodded. "Oh, so do you think you could hook me up with him?"

"Do you think you could shut up?"

She glared at me before sliding back in her seat.

I could never understand why the girls all loved Shuuichi so much. I mean, sure, I'd admit he was attractive. However, to put it bluntly, I guess you could say that Shuuichi was antisocial. It wasn't like he actually _knew_ any of them, so why did they throw themselves at him?

The day dragged on as usual. I zoned out while the teachers nagged us all to "try harder", and just stared at the clock, waiting to go home. When the bell finally rang, I shot out of my seat to go find my best friend. As always, he was standing by the gates, reading a book while I made my way out.

"Hey," I greeted when I saw him.

"Ready to go?" Shuuichi smiled warmly at me.

I nodded, and we began walking. "How was your day?" Shuuichi asked.

I groaned. "Boring, as usual. Why did you have to be born a year before me?"

Shuuichi chuckled. "_I _should be the one asking _you_ why you were born a year later than me."

"You and your stupid logic," I laughed as we walked.

Suddenly, the redhead stopped in his tracks.

"What's wrong, Shuuichi?" I asked him, concerned as to what could've made him start like that.

"Megumi," His voice sounded almost urgent. "Just go the rest of the way without me, okay? Please hurry."

"Shuuichi, what are you-"

I was cut short by a gentle thud. I turned around to see a man standing in front of us, completely clothed in black.

He smirked darkly. "Kurama, it's time."

**PLOT TWIST, the first chapter was actually kind of okay.**

**ANYWAYS, random thought. This is my first YYH fic, but not my first fan fic all together. I don't exactly write much anymore, but if you're into 1D, you can find me on as liamluv99... yeah.**


	2. Confession

Shuuichi's eyes widened. "Hiei… not here, not now," He said, a dangerous urgency in his usually calm voice.

"What the hell is going on, Shuuichi?" I asked, irritated to be so left out. "Who's 'Kurama'?"

The short man in the black- Hiei, I think Shuuichi called him- looked at me, almost as though he hadn't noticed me earlier, before bursting out in laughter. "Oh, is this one of your human _friends_?" He taunted.

"Hiei," the red-head warned again.

But Hiei wasn't done yet. "You never cease to surprise me, Kurama," His laughter was cruel and dark. "I can't believe you've grown so weak in your human form that you stoop so low as to befriend them! What's become of the great Yoko?"

Suddenly, a cut appeared on Hiei's right cheek, red blood appearing at the wound just moments later.

I looked to Shuuichi, only to find him holding what appeared to be a large, thorny vine, with a dark expression on his face. As long as I had known him, I had never seen Shuuichi look so intimidating.

"I gave you a fair warning," He said, though he still stood in a very battle-ready stance. "This is not the time or the place to discuss such matters."

Hiei smirked as his gaze shifted to me. I felt a chill throughout my entire body as my green eyes met with his red. "Are you afraid that I'll hurt the girl?"

My body grew rigid when the conversation was turned to me. I had absolutely no idea what was going on, but judging by how Shuuichi was acting, it couldn't be good.

"You leave Megumi out of this!" Shuuichi instructed, stepping slightly to the side so he was blocking me from the view of the one who confronted him. "This is simply between us. Don't drag anyone else in."

Hiei snorted. "Don't worry, Kurama. I have no reason to go after the girl. I simply came to tell you that we're going tonight. There may not be another opportunity such as this one for a long time, so if you know what's good for you, I suggest you show up tonight."

Just as suddenly as he had appeared, the man vanished, leaving me utterly shocked. The vine Kurama had held proceeded to shrink into a rose, which he tucked into his hair, only furthering my confusion.

"Shuuichi," When I tried to speak, my voice came out shakily. "What… what just happened?"

He offered no answer in response. He simply stared ahead, seemingly lost in thought.

"Shuuichi!" I shouted, getting fed up with being so left out. "First this man appears out of _nowhere_, then he goes on about some 'Kurama' guy and something big going on tonight, then you slice him with some vine thing… I'd like an explanation, damn it!"

"Rose whip."

"Huh?" I looked up at my friend, curious to see what he meant.

"It's not a vine," He corrected me. "It's a whip made from a rose, to put it plainly."

"Well that's all fine and dandy, but that still doesn't explain anything!" I pointed out.

He sighed, a sad smile playing across his lips. "Please just trust me on this one, Megumi. If I tried to explain, you wouldn't believe a word of it."

"Try me," I dared, my patience wearing out quickly. "I just saw a man pop out of thin air. I think I could believe anything right now."

Shuuichi chuckled softly. "Alright, alright, Megumi. You win this round. However, it's not safe to discuss out here, at least let it wait until we arrive at your house."

"Wait. Wait, wait, wait." I said, holding my head in confusion. "You mean to tell me that Makai and Reikai are _real_, there are actual _demons_, and that _you_ are one of them?"

"That's the gist of it," Shuuichi- er, _Kurama_- said.

I shook my head. "I don't even know what to think of this. How could this possibly stay hidden from everyone in the human world? How can we not know? This makes no sense whatsoever."

Kurama put a supportive hand on my shoulder. "I know that it's a lot to take in… but can you see why I was so hesitant to tell you?"

I scoffed. "In reality, you should have told me sooner," I pointed out to a surprised looking Kurama. "It would have been much easier for me to adjust had I known for a long time."

"And you also would have been in much more danger."

I gave Kurama a perplexed glance. "Care to elaborate, or do you only know how to be vague?"

Ignoring my little comment, Kurama said, "You would have been a target. They would have tried to get to me through you."

"Couldn't they do that without me knowing about all this?"

Kurama let out a small, sad laugh. "You really have much to learn about this kind of thing, Megumi. No matter what their intentions are, demons will not reveal their existence to humans, if they can avoid it. Humans have not been so kind to us in the past, and we have found that it's best that they don't know anything about us."

"And that Hiei guy…" I said, bringing the conversation back to the mysterious man. "He was a demon, too?"

Kurama nodded. "Yes, but I'm afraid he's not the gentle, easy-going type demon. If you see him, I would do your best to avoid him."

"What… what do you mean?"

"Hiei doesn't care what stands in his way," Kurama elaborated darkly. "If he wants something, he plans to get it, no matter what the cost. If it means he has to take a few lives on the way, he finds that it's worth it."

"Didn't you say that no demons would let humans know about them?"

"He doesn't have to expose what he is to take a life."

An eerie silence fell across the room as we both got lost in our own thoughts.

"One more thing, Kurama," I spoke suddenly.

"And what is that?"

"When Hiei showed up, he said that it was 'time'… time for what, exactly?"

Kurama gave me no answer, and suddenly seemed very interested by his folded hands in his lap.

"Kurama," I said, sternly. "You told me you would explain."

The demon took a deep breath. "You won't want to hear it, Megumi. I assure you you're better off not knowing."

"That's what you said about the existence of the demon world, but I haven't been kidnapped yet."

He closed his eyes, his brows crinkling slightly. "We… are going to rob Reikai."

**Aww, I know. I'm so predictable. Sorry, but it's following the story line. It's from a different point of view, though, so... maybe it's okay? I dunno. Anyways, please review :) I love to hear what you have to say!**


	3. The Fight

"Why didn't you tell me?" I shouted, my voice breaking as tears formed in the corners of my eyes. Shiori was like my second mother. "I care about Shiori, too!"

"Because I thought I could handle it without you finding out," Kurama's voice was now very soft, and his eyes couldn't meet my own. "The items we're stealing… One of them has the power to heal Mother. That is why I must."

"Is there anything else you've been hiding from me?" I tried to sound bitter and angry, but my voice cracked again, giving me away.

"No… nothing…"

I pointed to the door. "Get out of my house, Kurama."

His emerald eyes were full of pain as he looked at me, but he obeyed, leaving my house. "Please don't let this change your opinion of me, Megumi," He said before shutting the door behind himself.

The second the door was shut, I fell to my knees on the carpet and began sobbing. That was the first time we had ever fought. The first time we had raised our voices with each other. The first time I even _thought_ of slapping him. Sure, we had gotten into arguments before. But they were little things, and the issues were resolved in a matter of minutes. Something told me that this wouldn't end so quickly.

~KURAMA'S P.O.V.~

I didn't want that to be it. That wasn't how it should've ended.

I wanted today to be nice. I wanted to go out and have a good day with Megumi, because I knew that it would be one of the last times I would see her. However, due to the fight, I figured that now, that was the very last time I would see Megumi.

Instead of her smiling and promising to talk to me tomorrow, as I dreamt it would be, my last memory of the girl I held so close to my heart would be her striking my face before telling me to leave her house. In the end, though, maybe it was better this way. I'd feel much better knowing that she wouldn't mourn me when all was said and done and I was gone.

The walk to my house felt emptier than usual. While I did normally go home alone after walking Megumi to her house, I was usually occupied with thoughts of what we had done that day, and what we planned to do the next day. Now, all I could think of was the look on her face when I told her what I did.

Even my own home felt strange and unwelcoming. With Mother in the hospital, I was completely alone. The last time I had felt so separated from the world was before I had met Megumi. I smiled half-heartedly as I thought of our first meeting.

_I sat by myself in the sand box, absent mindedly tracing patterns in the sand. The playground had never entertained me much; I was too mature for things such as that. I may have been in the body of Shuuichi Minamino- who I'm sure would've liked the playground as much as any child- but I retained my personality._

_ I sighed deeply as I saw all the other children running around, enjoying each other's company. Was that how a normal child was supposed to act? Was Mother concerned that I wasn't so normal?_

_ Suddenly, my gaze landed on one girl who seemed different from the others. She was alone. Unlike me, though, she didn't look as though she wanted it that way. _

Maybe Mother will think I'm normal if I talk to that little girl, _I thought as I stood, brushing the sand from my legs. I looked around quickly before producing a bright red rose in the palm of my hand. Back then, I still had short hair, and couldn't hide the things I grew. I had to be much more careful about when and where I did such things when I was young._

_ Not knowing how to go about handing it to her, I sort of just shoved it in her face. She accepted it, which made me smile. I was worried she would ignore me._

_ "What…What's this?" She asked after thoroughly examining it._

_ "It's a present. You looked sad, so I got you a flower," I left out the part about wanting to appear like a normal child to my mother._

_ We introduced ourselves, and she asked to be friends. To this day, I still don't understand why I felt so warm when she asked me. Was it _really _because I was finally being normal, or was it because I just wanted a friend?_

_ We ended up going to her house, and sitting in the big cherry tree in her yard._

_ "Let's be best friends forever, okay?" She asked me. Just as she had at the park, she was smiling, but if you looked into her eyes, you could see that she was very lonely._

_ Again, the warmness spread from my face all the way down to my toes. There it was again. 'Friend'. But this time, it was different. Something about 'best friends' just sounded that much more enticing._

_ "Yeah," I accepted her offer. "Best friends forever."_

_ And that was basically the end of that. We grew up together. We were always there for each other. And, of course, every time we chose to stay at Megumi's house, we refused to sit anywhere but that middle branch of the cherry tree. When there was snow on the ground or the sun was beating down, Arisa would try so hard to make us sit inside. But we never would. The tree was special to us, and that was where we intended to spend our time._

I yawned as I slowly blinked my eyes open. _I must've dozed off_, I thought as I rubbed my arm across my sleep-glazed eyes. I sighed as I looked at the clock. It was time. If I didn't show up now, there was no telling what Hiei would do.

Wanting more than anything in the world to just sit back down and stay, I took a look at my house. If the robbery failed, this would be the last time I was here. I thought of leaving a note for my mother, should she recover without my interference, but decided against it. It was best just to leave.

Heart weighing heavy in my chest, I set off to meet Hiei and our other accomplice, not knowing what awaited me when I arrived.

**Just to let you know, I plan on most of the story being told from Megumi's point of view. I just thought it might be nice to see how Kurama felt about all this, and maybe I'll stay in his P.O.V. for the whole robbery... Anyway, that's it for today. Please review, I love hearing from you guys!**


	4. Withdrawing

**So, it has come to my attention that I haven't put a disclaimer out there yet.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, the characters of Yu Yu Hakusho, or basically anything related to Yu Yu Hakusho. If I did own them, Kurama would have already been madly in love with a character based on me and I wouldn't have to write a fan fic about it.**

**Also, yes, I did use the exact words at the beginning from when they're chilling in the forest and Kurama ditches them. HOWEVER, I don't pretend to own that dialogue. I'm not trying to steal this stuff, 'kay? Just trying to keep my story legit. So, yeah. The dialogue in the beginning? NOT MINE. So get that out of your heads riiiiiight nowwww. Glad we cleared that up.**

KURAMA'S P.O.V.

I stood in the empty spot in the forest, examining the Forlorn Hope as Hiei and the oaf, Gouki, discussed their 'master plan' for the artifacts.

It made me extremely uneasy to hear them talk. When I withdrew, the pair would most definitely be angry with me. I didn't mind their anger whatsoever; all I was concerned about was whether or not they would allow me to live once I left. I was well aware I had to die… but it wasn't time quite yet.

I decided I would deal with the issue as soon as I could. "I apologize, but I'm withdrawing."

Hiei looked at me with a look of utter shock. "What do you mean? You want to leave us?"

"That's right…" I said, attempting to give him the least amount of information I could.

"Coward!" He spat at me. "You are acting like a typical human!"

"We don't need to give part of the loot to a person like you!" Gouki sided with Hiei, of course. "Return the dark mirror!"

"That won't do! I shall be needing this mirror," I informed my former accomplices.

"I won't allow your reckless actions!" Gouki bellowed, lunging at me. "With my own powers, I shall take the mirror back!"

However, his fist never _did_ come into contact with me. When he was a mere inch away, he was stopped by a shout.

"Yo! Hang on!"

The owner of the voice stepped into the clearing, and it was all I could do not to laugh. It was just a young, teenaged human boy, claiming to be the new spirit detective.

_He must be a fool,_ I thought. _With reikai that weak, does he really believe he can take on three powerful demons, let alone one?_

"I won't be participating in this fight!" I was snapped from my thoughts as I watched Hiei disappear deeper into the forest.

_I can't be caught now! _I thought, and began to head out. I heard the boy- Yusuke, I believe he said his name was- call after me, but I paid no mind to him. I couldn't let him catch me before I could help my mother… Not when I had already lost so much to be where I was now…

I returned to my house. It felt just as empty as it had yesterday, before the mission. I looked to the phone, wanting so badly to call Megumi. All I wanted was to speak with her, to tell her that I was alright. However, it went against my better judgment. I knew Megumi would want to hear nothing from me.

MEGUMI'S P.O.V.

I had lost track of how many times I had dialed Shuuichi's number, pressed call, and quickly hit end before anything could happen. It was getting ridiculous.

I wanted to apologize. I knew very well how much he cared for his mother… He would do anything for her to be happy, and if it involved a petty crime, so be it. He would do it.

I knew by now that it was done. Hiei and Shuuichi had already stolen whatever it was they were after… or had died trying.

My heart twisted at the thought of Shuuchi dying. I would never be able to forgive myself if the last thing I said to him was 'get out'. I'd sooner kill myself than live with that weighing on my mind.

_Knock, knock._

"Come in," I called quietly, eyes still locked on my phone in my hands.

"Megumi," My mother said, coming to sit beside me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," I tried to cover, but she saw right through me.

"It's a beautiful Saturday, and you haven't left your room other than to get breakfast today. Why don't you hang out with Shuuichi?"

"It's one of those days that I'm enjoying some much needed solitude," I said, my temper beginning to flare when my mother told me what to do.

"Did you two get in a fight?" She pried, sounding concerned.

"I suppose you could say that," I replied, not meeting her eyes.

"What was it about?"

"Oh… you know…" _Just about him and his demon friend robbing the spirit world for his mother. _"Just… teen stuff."

"Did he try to make a move on you?" She questioned.

"MOM!" I shrieked my face tomato-red.

She laughed. "Don't be so embarrassed, Megumi. It's totally normal, and it's no secret that Shuuichi likes you a lot."

I gritted my teeth. "Not every guy I come in contact with is head-over-heels in love with me, okay? Shuuichi is my best friend. That's it. End of story. Period."

She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by the phone ringing. I locked the door behind her as soon as she left the room, relieved to have her out.

I stared at my phone for another solid five minutes before tossing it to the side. I was sure he didn't want to hear from me anyway…

"Shuuichi," I groaned, falling back onto my bed with my face in my hands. "Why does this have to be so hard?"

~NEXT DAY~

KURAMA'S P.O.V.

I was sitting in my dining room, just eating dinner and thinking about Megumi and my mother, when suddenly, I could sense something off about the youki in the area… Gouki was dead.

I sat straight up in my chair, looking around, completely paranoid. If he had already gotten Gouki, he would either come for Hiei or me next, and Hiei would hardly be an easy catch. Even if he tried to take on Hiei next, he would most definitely fail. The only thing he _could_ do would be to fight me.

"Damn it," I cursed out loud. I had underestimated the spirit detective. While it was hardly impressive that he had defeated Gouki, I had no way to know if that was his full potential, or if he was holding back… I had to make peace with him before he could reach me…

**Alright. Worst chapter ever, I know. But writer's block hit me like a brick, so that's why this is a day late. Please leave me a review with suggestions of what you'd like to see happen! Obviously, I know what's happening in like the actual story, but I don't know how to go about the Kurama/Megumi drama, you know? Alrighttt, thanks for reading :)**


	5. Resolution

**I've been spelling Shuichi wrong.**

**Yeah that's all I have to say.**

MEGUMI'S P.O.V.

I took a deep breath, and looked uneasily at the phone one last time.

_I must be insane_, I thought as I dialed Shuichi's number with record timing.

I held my breath as I waited for my best friend to answer, each ring seeming to last for an hour.

_ "Hello," _His voice came from the other end.

I sighed with relief. "Shuichi, listen. I'm sor-"

"_Sorry, but I'm not here right now. If you leave your name and number, I'll call back as soon as I'm able." _

I hit end, throwing the phone onto my bed and dropping my head into my hands. "Damn you, Minamino!" I groaned. "Are you _really _not there? Do you just not want to talk to me?" I rambled to myself, needing someway to release the pent up feelings. "I mean, come on! You dropped a bombshell on me! How was I supposed to react to learning that my best friend is a thief?! I just… gah!"

I fell onto my bed beside the phone, smashing my face into my pillow. "To hell with the damn fight," I mumbled. "I'm getting Shuichi back."

I threw on a hoodie and a pair of flip flops, not caring that I was still wearing a baggy t-shirt and some pajama bottoms. I hadn't cared to get dressed that day.

"Where are you going dressed like that?" My mother caught me right before I stepped out the door.

"To see Shuichi."

"Oh, so you two made up?" She pried.

_This is such a waste of my time,_ I thought irritably. "Not quite yet."

"Then why do you want to-"

"Be back in a bit," I said, closing the door behind me and pretending to not have heard her.

I let my feet lead me along the path I'd walked so many times in the past before I could back out and run back to my house.

I didn't know why I was so nervous; I was almost certain that Shuichi would forgive me. I supposed it was because it was our first fight. Really, _my_ first fight with anyone outside my family.

The only friend I had ever needed growing up was Shuichi. We got along perfectly, and we did everything together. Even if I _had_ made other friends, I highly doubted that I'd keep them for long. All of my free time was devoted to Shuichi. We were closer than I was to even my older sisters.

Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the house that I knew so well. Lifting a shaky hand, I quickly knocked twice, and waited… and waited… and waited. But no one came. I rang the doorbell, hoping that would get his attention. But still, there was no answer.

"Shit," I cursed. "How the hell do I find him if he's not at his house?"

I pulled my phone from my pocket, checking the time. _8:00… _I read before putting my phone back. _I guess it's not too late to go take a little stroll through the city._

KURAMA'S P.O.V.

I looked around the city, hands in my pockets, trying to locate the Spirit Detective. I had already been at this for half an hour, yet I hadn't caught so much of a glimpse of him yet. He was definitely here; I had sensed his Spirit Energy the entire time I was wandering. The question was… where?

"Excuse me," I said, walking up to some woman I've never seen before. "Have you seen a boy about my age, about this tall, with dark, slicked back hair around here?"

The woman shook her head and walked off.

I sighed. "Why did I ever think this would be easy?"

"Have you seen-" The man I spoke to brushed me off.

"Miss, do you know a-"

I shook my head. _I know demons kinder than these people…_

I figured I'd try one more time. I reached forward and tapped a girl on the shoulder. "Do you know if… you've…"

My words trailed off as the girl turned around. I couldn't mistake those green eyes so similar to mine anywhere; I had just caught Megumi.

MEGUMI'S P.O.V.

_I guess he's not here_, I thought dejectedly as I finished my fifth round through the city, deciding just to head home this time. _But if he's not here or at his house… where the hell is he?_

Just as I was about to cross the street and get back to my house, a hand fell on my shoulder, and I snapped my head around, only to see Shuichi staring back at me.

"Shuichi," I breathed, turning so I was facing him completely.

"I'm so sorry, Megumi," He said, pulling me into a bone crushing hug.

I pulled away enough so that he wasn't absolutely squashing me. "_You're_ sorry? Shuichi, it's all my fault! I was being a total bitch, I can't justify that at all. I mean, it's Shiori's life we're talking about here!"

"I know," Shuichi said. "But I shouldn't have dropped it all on you like that and expected you to be alright with it."

"Oh my God, I can't even begin to say how sorry I am about slapping you!"

"I'm sorry for not explaining anything!"

"I'm sorry for just being a bitch!"

Shuichi pulled me back into the hug. "I missed you, Megumi," He muttered into my hair.

"I missed you more, Shuichi."

"Not that it particularly bothers me, but… why is it that you continue to call me Shuichi, even though you are well aware of what I truly am now?"

I smirked up at him. "Because everyone else does," I said, using his own words from when we were young. "I don't wanna be like everyone else."

He beamed at me. "You really are something, Megumi."

I returned his smile. "Same goes for you, Minamino."

Suddenly, his spine stiffened, and I backed up from his hug. "What happened?" I asked, my voice full of concern.

He offered no answer. He just grabbed my hand and began walking. As we walked, I saw his eyes meet with that of a broken and bruised boy. It was strange; though I never heard either utter a single world, a look of understanding passed between them, with some unspoken message.

"Shuichi, what… what was that?"

He smiled once again. "That was a man who's out to kill me."

"What the hell?" I shrieked, unable to understand how he could _possibly_ say that so calmly, let alone _happily_.

He rubbed my head, further ruffling my already messed up hair. "Like I said, there are still many things you must learn. We demons are a very confusing and complex race."

I shook my head. "Shuichi, you make _no_ sense whatsoever."

He simply pulled me into another hug. "Someday, you'll understand everything about demons. Today simply isn't that day."

I huffed. "Well, at least tell me why the hell you're so damn calm about someone trying to kill you!"

He chuckled. "Persistent, are we? Alright. I sent him a telepathic message describing the current situation, and have asked him to meet my mother."

"'Meet your mother'?" I repeated flatly. "What, is he your boyfriend? Why in the world would you take someone who wants to kill you to see your sick mother?"

"Because I trust him," Shuichi explained in a soft voice. "I know it sounds strange. But there's something about him that tells me that he doesn't _really_ want to hurt me. He has a mission, and that's his only reason for this. I have a feeling he'll be lenient and allow me the three days I've requested."

"Three days? You asked this guy for more time before he arrests you, and you only asked for _three days_? Damn, Minamino. You're a lot dumber than I thought."

"I just need to wait for the full moon," He muttered, much more to himself than to me. "When the moon is full, the Forlorn Hope…"

"What's this about a full moon?" I questioned.

He shook his head. "Ah, nothing. Just talking to myself, I suppose. Megumi, it's very dark. Shall I walk you home now?"

I looked at my phone, only to find that two hours had passed. "Oh, shit… uh, yeah. Thanks."

So we walked back to my house, talking and laughing the whole way there. I smiled to myself. _Just like it should be…_

**I'm sorry, I tried to drag it out . I just can't do long chapters. I mean, this is like a ****_little_**** bit longer than usual, but not quite long enough, I imagine. Don't give up hope, I'm still working on it!**

**By the way, if there's anything you would like to see happen in the story, you have some (CONSTRUCTIVE) criticism, or anything else related to the story, please review or message me! I've already gotten major writer's block, and I don't feel like the story is going too well so far. So, please tell me how to make it better! **


	6. Conversations

**Shout out to Shadow Fox 2013 for the idea!**

**And this chapter is mostly dialogue. I would say it's a filler, but it does have *somewhat* of a purpose towards the end.**

**And it's short. As always. I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRAG IT OUT OKAY**

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I groaned and rolled over, basically smashing the button on my alarm. "Damn, it's Monday…" I reminded myself as I stood, my vision blurred for a moment.

As always, I stumbled out the door just in the nick of time, and Shuichi was awaiting me, lost in thought. When he saw me walk out, still half asleep, he grinned widely.

"What's the creepy smile for?" I asked him with a laugh as we began the walk to school.

Shuichi shrugged. "I suppose I'm just glad to have you back," He admitted.

"Aw, Shuichi, you're so sweet," I teased him. "No wonder everyone thinks you're my boyfriend."

"They do?" He asked, completely surprised.

I laughed and nodded. "I know! Crazy, right? Like, this whore in my science class asked if we were dating, and then proceeded to try and get me to set you up. And my mom? Oh God, she's convinced we were fighting because you tried to 'make a move' on me or some such shit."

"That's… odd," Shuichi commented, not nearly as amused as I was.

"What?" I asked him. "Something bothering you? I thought you'd think that was hilarious."

He shrugged his shoulders at me again. "There's something on my mind, but it's nothing to concern yourself with.

"Shuichi, I've known you for a decade. I can tell when you're lying. What's up?" I said with a dramatic roll of my eyes.

"I'm just worried about my mother," He said, giving in. "She's not looking too good."

"What do you mean?" I asked him, now worried, myself.

He sighed. It was clear his mother's illness was taking a toll on him. "She seems to be getting weaker by the hour."

"Well, but can't you fix that? Isn't that the whole reason you went to rob the spirit world?"

"Yes, that is why I did it. However, the mirror's full potential may only be reached on a full moon, which won't occur for another three days."

I nodded. "You said its 'full potential'. That means you technically _can_ use it any day, right? It just works better under a full moon."

"That should be true," Shuichi said, "but I'm afraid no one's ever used it on a night without a full moon. I don't know how well it would work, if it worked at all."

"What does this mirror-thingy even do?" I asked him, wondering what it was we were discussing.

"It grants your biggest wish."

"Whoa, no shit?" I asked, excited. "Well, hook me up when you're done, Shuichi! There's a beach-side mansion calling my name."

He laughed lightly at my excitement before saying, "Megumi, please promise me you'll never touch that mirror."

I gave him a confused look. "Huh? Why shouldn't I?"

"Just promise me," He said, his eyes looking nearly desperate. "I'd never be able to forgive myself if you used it."

"Okay, I promise," I said carefully, "but what's so bad about _me _using it if you're about to?"

"Please trust me on this one," He said, shaking his head. "It's best for everyone if you don't."

I huffed. "Well, fine. Keep your damn mirror. But at the very least, I'd like to go see Shiori this afternoon."

He paled considerably. "Ah, Megumi… perhaps you should wait until tomorrow."

I looked at him suspiciously. "What the hell's that supposed to mean? Why can't I go today?"

"Well… the spirit detective is coming with me today."

I shrugged. "So? No big deal, I'll just beat his ass and then we can see Shiori.

Shuichi shook his head. "Please be serious for a moment. I don't want you there in case a fight should break out. You've never seen me fight before, and… I just don't think it would be very safe."

"You said you trusted this detective guy," I argued back. "Why should you be concerned for my safety if you think he's an alright guy?"

"Oh, look, we've arrived at school!" Shuichi said, walking off quickly and avoiding my question. "Well, I'll see you at lunch!"

"Hey, Minamino, wait!" I called after him, but it was pointless. He was already well on his way to his classes. I shook my head and followed suit, walking to first period before the bell rang.

As always, I was ready to pull every single strand of hair from my head, one by one, by the time lunch rolled around. School was _extremely_ boring today, not to mention that the Shuichi situation was nagging at me all through the first half of the day. _Why the hell doesn't he want me to see him fight? _I wondered. _Or is that just a cover story for the _real_ problem?_

"Shuichi!" I called as I jogged to where he was seated in the cafeteria.

"Hello, Megumi," He smiled up at me before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Don't play dumb, Minamino," I scowled as I sat down beside him. "Why can't I watch you fight?"

He stopped the goofy grin, taking on a much more serious appearance. "I'm afraid that you'll be frightened."

I snorted. "If anything, I'll be hella proud. I mean, who wouldn't want to see their best friend kick ass?"

He chuckled softly. "I'm a different person when I'm fighting," Shuichi explained. "The demon side of me comes out… I'm ruthless, Megumi. I don't want you to see me like that."

I smiled sweetly at him. "Hey, we all have a bitch side, right? Shuichi, I wouldn't let something like that change the opinion I've formed of you over the past ten years."

"Thank you," He said, smiling himself. "I don't believe we will have to resort to fighting, though; the boy seems injured, and I hope he wouldn't be stupid enough to pick a fight with a skilled demon in his current state."

"'Skilled demon', eh? Someone's a little full of themselves," I teased.

"Ah, just eat your lunch," He laughed at my childishness.

As I walked away from the table after lunch, there was one thing I was absolutely sure of.

I was going to the hospital this afternoon.

**Review if you don't want me to cryyyyyyyyyyyy**

**Also... I'm considering a KuramaxHiei one shot... I dunno, would anyone read it?**


	7. The Hospital

**Sorry for not updating yesterday guys, I was mad busy from the time I woke up to the time I fell asleep. Also... I JUST GOT THE ISLAND PARADISE EXPANSION PACK FOR SIMS ASDFGHJKL But I love you all so I forced myself to write before I played. Aw I know I'm such a sweet author to you guys. ANYWAY, this chapter is absolute garbage, butttttttt... whatever. And I didn't use the exact words here, so it's gonna be a bit different from the original. Oh well. **

"Shuichi's gonna kill me if he finds out…" I muttered to myself as I watched him walk up to the hospital, completely unaware that I was following close behind him.

He reached the doors, but chose to lean on the wall beside them instead. I decided that was where he was waiting for this detective guy to show up.

Sure enough, within five minutes, a boy with dark hair in a green school uniform strolled up to the building, hands in his pockets.

"I was afraid you wouldn't show up," Shuichi called, walking up to greet the boy.

The detective shrugged. "I had some free time, so I figured, 'hell, why not?'."

Shuichi forced a tiny laugh. "Well, come on, then. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

I waited until the two teens had entered the building to follow after them, keeping my distance.

"Excuse me, could you tell me what room Shiori Minamino is staying in?" I asked, unable to follow the two into the elevator.

She nodded and scribbled it down on a scrap of paper, and I jogged off to the elevators.

When I reached the room, I pressed my back against the wall beside the door. I couldn't very well go in, but I wanted to know what they were talking about.

_Of course_, I thought. _Why was I expecting some big drama bomb? He's just making sure she's alright._

When I heard them get up and approach the door, I scrambled into the room beside Shiori's.

I looked to see whose room I had just entered, only to find some people crying beside an elderly man's bed.

"Sorry for your loss," I said quickly before following Shuichi and the detective to what appeared to the top of the building.

I got to the roof about thirty seconds after the boys. Shuichi was staring out at the city, and the detective was looking at him rather quizzically.

"Shuichi Minamino is my human name," He explained, not turning to meet the other's eyes. "As you know, I am truly the spirit fox, Kurama."

My eyes widened as I listened to him speak. _'Spirit fox'? _I thought, utterly confused. _He told me he didn't have any abilities or anything other than the Rose Whip…_

"I don't know if you were informed of this, but I was quite the famous bandit when I lived in Makai," He continued. I had to fight the gasp that threatened to escape my lips. _So this isn't the first time Shuichi has stolen something…?_ "One day, hunters were chasing me. I grew weary, and could no longer run from them. So, I came to Ningenkai, and possessed the body of Shiori Minamino's unborn child, Shuichi. My plan was to return to Makai once I had enough energy. However… I couldn't bring myself to do it. I cared too deeply for my human mother."

There was a moment of silence before the detective said, "Why are you telling _me _all this?"

Shuichi let out a small laugh. "Perhaps I just needed someone to know."

"What about that girl you were with when you asked me to meet you?" The detective asked. "You two seemed pretty close."

I could barely hear them talking at this point, though. I was in utter shock. _That damned sly fox! _I thought furiously. _He'll tell a stranger his entire back story, but tells his best friend that he's 'just your everyday demon'? What kind of cheap trick is this?!_

Shuichi finally turned to face the boy, a sad smile playing across his lips. "I don't want Megumi to be dragged into this world," He said quietly. "I told her the bare minimum about Makai and Reikai. I wouldn't be able to stand it if she were hurt because of me."

"Sounds like you two are more than what you're letting on," The detective muttered, bringing a blush to my cheeks.

Before Shuichi could answer, a nurse ran onto the roof, barreling past me.

"Shuichi!" She breathed. "Mrs. Minamino… she's entered a critical state!"

"What?" He snapped, eyes filled with panic as he released a rare curse. "Damn it… I'll have to use it now!"

"But… doesn't the mirror only work on a full moon? And don't you have to offer it something?" The detective pointed out.

"I don't know about the moon, but we'll have to try. And yes, the mirror won't grant your wish without an offering."

"Well, do you know what you have to give it?"

Shuichi's eyes looked distant as he whispered, "My life."

Before I could even think, I ran onto the roof. "Shuichi, don't be an ass!"

"M-Megumi," He stuttered, looking absolutely shocked. "H-how long have you been-"

"The whole damn time," I growled. "I heard it all, Minamino. And if you think I'm just going to sit back while you kill yourself, you've got another thing coming."

"Quite the stubborn girl you've got there, Kurama," The detective teased.

"Yusuke, this is not the time," Shuichi snapped back at him. "Megumi, you have to let me. If I don't, my mother will die!"

"And if you do, _you'll _die!" I shouted at him, tears filling the corners of my eyes. "Don't do this to me, you bastard!"

"I have to," He whispered, eyes not meeting my own as he pulled the mirror from his pocket.

"S-Shuichi!" At this point I was completely bawling.

"Mirror, please grant my wish," He said smoothly, his voice completely void of emotion.

"_The happiness of this woman_," A low voice spoke, and an image of Shiori appeared in the mirror. "_Is that what you desire_?"

"Yes," Shuichi spoke again.

_"Are you aware that you must give your life?_"

"Yes," he repeated.

"_Very well_," The voice said. "_Your wish shall be granted_."

Suddenly, it appeared as though the mirror was shocking him, and his face was twisted in pain.

"Shuichi!" I shrieked, and, without thinking for the second time that day, shoved my own hand down to the mirror. "Don't kill this idiot, take me instead!"

Yusuke stared at us both in complete shock as our very lives were being drained from us. He shook his head. "Ah, hell, everyone else is doing it!" He sat beside me and shouted, "Hey, mirror guy! You hear me? Don't take their lives! Take me instead!"

The three of us were slowly being drained by this thing until, suddenly, it stopped, and everything went black.

**Okay, I'm off to find a mermaid and run a resort! I took time to write it so you should take time to review it 3 See you tomorrow (if I can pull myself away from sims long enough to write)!**


	8. Megumi in Wonderland

**gUYS I'M SO SORRY**

**I KNOW I SAID ON HIATUS UNTIL THE END OF JULY AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE END OF JULY ANYMORE**

**I JUST GOT SIDETRACKED AND IM SO SORRY **

**I had a legitimate reason not to write for the majority of July. I was at somewhat of a camp (I guess you could call it that) for 3 weeks, so I didn't have my laptop/any free time to write on my phone. Also I didn't know exactly what day I'd be back, so I just kinda said until July was over. After that, though, I have no excuse. That was just laziness at its best. Butttttt yeah, I'm back now.**

**Also, to the Guest who reviewed like a month ago: Tbh I have absolutely no idea what you mean by saying you wish I followed the story more accurately. As far as I'm concerned, I've followed it almost flawlessly. When you add in a new character, scenarios change. Things happen differently with the addition of Megumi, y'know? I'm following the plot line as closely as I can, but it will never be the same as the original because there's one more character than originally. Not to mention that this would be extremely boring to any potential readers if I wrote it the exact same way as how it happened. Everyone would know exactly what to expect, and I wouldn't get any reads. Sooo yeah. I rest my case.**

I groaned as I sat up. "Where the hell am I?" I asked as I looked around. I was seated in the middle of a grassy field. "…and what the hell am I wearing?" When I looked down I found myself in a blue dress that I had never seen before.

I stood up, instantly regretting my decision to do so as quickly as I had. My legs wobbled beneath me and I found myself sitting down once again. "How did I get here…?" I muttered to myself again. The last thing I remembered was… "That's right!" I shouted, my eyes widening. Shuichi, Yusuke, and I tried to save Shuichi's mother… but that didn't explain how I had gotten here, or where they were.

I have to find them, I thought determinedly, standing again, more cautious this time around. However, my spark of confidence evaporated once I took a look around. There was nothing as far as I could see; all it was was grass.

A small movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention, and my head snapped around to see it. It was a small white fox, scampering rather quickly across the grass.

I don't know what possessed me to speak to the fox, but I figured it was worth a try. "Hey, fox!" I shouted.

It froze mid-step as its head whipped around so its yellow eyes could meet my emerald ones. The fox's narrow eyes widened when it saw me, and it took off at top speed once again.

"I'm not done talking to you!" I called after it. "Get back here, you little son of a bitch!"

When the fox didn't stop running, I took off behind it.

It eventually disappeared into a little hole in the ground and I sighed. "Well, I've got nothing better to do…" I muttered, and jumped in after it.

It felt like I had been falling forever when I finally hit the ground. I looked around with wide, curious eyes. This was definitely no normal place.

The grass was a vibrant green, and the same could be said of the blue sky, which was dotted with only a few white clouds. There was a rainbow of flowers across the ground, what appeared to be a forest in the distance, and some large body of water even further away.

"F…fox?" I called out shakily, but there was no sign of the little white creature.

"What do you want from the fox, foolish girl?"

My eyes travelled up the tree beside me, only to find Hiei perched on one of the branches.

"Hiei," I growled. The last time I had seen him, he was telling Shuichi to go on some crime spree. "What do you want?"

He snorted. "That's exactly what I was asking you, fool."

"Stop calling me a fool!" I shouted at him. "Do you have any idea where we are?"

"How should I know?" Hiei all but spat at me. "It's your own damned dream, don't ask _me_ such questions."

"D-dream?" I stuttered.

He scoffed at me. "You ask me to stop calling you foolish, but you don't know the difference between your own mind and reality? You truly are an idiot."

"You're really pissing me off now!" I shouted at him. "Do you know where Shuichi is? That's all I need to know, and then you can go back to killing puppies, or whatever it is you do for fun."

"As pleasant as your offer sounds," Hiei said, "I'm looking for Kurama, myself. If I knew where he was, I wouldn't have to resort to speaking with the likes of you."

"What do you want with him?" I asked cautiously, hoping that Shuichi wouldn't have to get caught in the middle of more trouble.

"That doesn't concern you," He spoke in a voice colder than ice.

"You're mad," I stated simply, having given up any hope of getting along with him.

He smirked at me one more time before seemingly disappearing. "Aren't we all?"

_ That was weird…_ I thought before beginning to walk. I figured that if I was gonna be stuck for a while, I could at least keep looking for Shuichi rather than sitting around and doing nothing.

I squinted in the direction of the forest. There appeared to be someone sitting a while ahead of it. Maybe that's Shuichi! I thought, and began sprinting in that direction.

My heart felt light in my chest as I neared the man and found that I was correct in assuming he was Shuichi. "Shuichi!" I exclaimed when I was close to him. However, I didn't give myself enough time to stop running, and I tumbled to the ground with a groan.

He chuckled. "A klutz even in your dreams, I see," He observed playfully.

"Shut it, Minamino," I joked back at him. "But in all seriousness… do you remember what happened after we made the wish in the forlorn hope?"

His gentle expression turned into one of pure concern. "I can't say I do. I've been trying to figure out the same thing myself, but… it's all a blur."

"Shuichi…" I said carefully, my voice hardly more than a whisper. "You don't think we're… dead, do you?"

He shook his head, looking confused. "No, we would have been visited by the grim reaper, and taken to see the ruler of the underworld. We're definitely alive, but I find that to be more troubling than if we had died."

"What do you mean?" I asked him, not following what he meant.

"There's no reason for us to be living," He said, obviously frustrated that he didn't understand. "All three of us offered our lives, but none were taken."

"How do you know it didn't take the detective's life?" I pointed out.

"I actually ran into him earlier," Shuichi said. "It would appear the whole gang has made it to my dream," He chuckled.

"Wait… _your_ dream?" I asked. "I'm pretty sure this is _my_ dream."

He blinked at me. "Oh, well… I suppose our dreams are joined for whatever reason."

"That's odd…" I muttered. "How do you think we get back to the real world?"

Shuichi shrugged. "I think the best thing to do is just wait it out until we wake up."

He laid back onto the grass and stared at the sky. I followed suit.

"Megumi," He said softly.

"Hm?"

"Why did you follow me to the hospital? We may be alive, but for all we know, we're currently comatose and on the brink of death. I didn't want you to get hurt. That's the only reason why I told you not to follow me."

I didn't answer for a long time, just watching the few clouds there were floating by. "I don't know," I eventually admitted. "This will sound really stupid, but I suppose it just felt like I should be there."

When Shuichi was silent, I continued. "Aside from that, why did you lie to me about your past?"

"I didn't lie, Megumi."

"Okay then, why didn't you tell me everything?" The pain in my voice was evident. "You told the detective everything, and he didn't even ask. I was practically begging on my knees and all you told me was that you were a demon. Aren't we best friends, Shuichi? Or has something changed?"

In a voice so low that I was almost positive I wasn't meant to hear it, Shuichi said, "Something has _definitely _changed."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, slightly offended.

He looked at me with a sad smile. "Don't worry about it right now, Megumi. Let's just focus on a way to get out of this dream."

I'm pretty sure that Shuichi was talking, but I heard nothing after that. _What did he mean, 'something has definitely changed'…?_

**When in doubt, stick in a dream sequence ;) Originally Kurama was supposed to be the Mad Hatter, but I changed plans. How about Hiei as the Cheshire Cat though? Tbh this is mostly a filler. I just felt really bad about not updating in about 300 years, and I figured I had to cook something up. Also, I will no longer be updating daily. I've started rewatching one of my favorite animes (Yes, my Rurouni Kenshin watching is a big factor of my procrastination in writing this), and I plan to start a story for that in the near future *cough cough probably like 5 minutes after I finish posting this cough cough* But in case I do end up stalling for a bit before I start on that... If you've ever seen Kenshin, would you rather see me right a Sanosuke fic or a Soujiro fic? I'm a bit stuck. If all else fails I'll just go for a love triangle ;3**

**Well, thanks for not hounding me about updating. If anything that probably would've just made me want to update less. So, yeah. Thanks for reading, and please tell me what you think! If I can stop being lazy for two hours and write a chapter, you can stop being lazy for 2 minutes and drop me a review! See you probably next weekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!**


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